Butte is located in Summit Valley in the heart of the Rocky Mountains on the west slope of the Continental Divide in southwestern Montana. Silver Bow Creek, part of the Columbia River system—and called Clark Fork outside the city—runs through Butte. The climate is semi-arid, with a growing season of 81 days.
Area: 716.2 square miles (2000)
Elevation: ranges from 5,484 to 6,463 feet above sea level
Average Temperatures: January, 15.4° F; July, 62.9° F; annual average: 53.2° F (maximum); 27.1° F (minimum)
Average Annual Precipitation: 12.75 inches